Pat Robertson On Divorcing A Spouse With Alzheimer’s

Many of you may have read in the news recently former Presidential candidate Pat Robertson’s comments that it is okay to divorce a spouse because they have Alzheimer’s disease. Robertson was asked what advice a man should give to a friend who began seeing another woman after his wife started suffering from the incurable neurological disorder. Robertson answered, "I know it sounds cruel, but if he’s going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again, but make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her" (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44530424/ns/health-alzheimers_disease).

Though Mr. Robertson is chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, his comments were anything but “CHRISTian.” Christ said in Matthew 19:9, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” Romans 7:2-3 reads, “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” There is nothing ambiguous about those statements in regard to this question, is there?

Mr. Robertson is typical of 99% of preachers and non-clergy who claim to be Christians. They go by what they think is fair or right (Proverbs 14:12), instead of what the Lord actually says is right on a matter (John 8:32). This is true of this divorce issue and it is also true of many other issues touched on by God’s word.

Think about how many divorced and remarried people are in the congregation where you attend. And remember that if Pat Robertson and the congregation where you are don’t take what Jesus said on divorce seriously, then likely they don’t take what Jesus said on other issues seriously either.